


something good can work

by haljordans



Category: DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-05
Updated: 2016-09-05
Packaged: 2018-08-13 06:38:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7966399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haljordans/pseuds/haljordans
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Come on, you're part of an elite superhero team dedicated to protecting our planet!" Iris beams, clasping her hands together eagerly. "There's literally no place better to find a new boyfriend or girlfriend, because everyone's super hot."</p><p>Barry gives her an eyeroll.</p><p>"Have you even seen Superman? That man has muscles on his muscles! I mean, I thought Oliver was hot, but damn." She shakes her head and brushes the thought of the Kryptonian away. "Seriously, Bar, just give it a try. You deserve happiness."</p><p>He sighs. "Okay, sure. No promises, though."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> ya girl's back at it again with more halbarry 
> 
> title from something good can work by two door cinema club

It's been a month since the Justice League formed, and their team name is pasted everywhere: on billboards, newspaper articles, magazines, and the evening news. Esteemed reporters like Lois Lane and Cat Grant chat with figures such as Lex Luthor, Bruce Wayne, Diana Prince, and even manage to get an interview with the President on his opinion of the newly formed league.

The news of the Justice League is taken better in Central City than any other, filled with people buzzing with excitement that their very own Flash is joining the big guys. Everyone loves an underdog, and compared to literal hard-hitters like Superman and Wonder Woman, Barry figures that's what people see him as. As he races down city streets, scanning for crime, citizens call out congratulations.

No one, however, is more excited than Iris West.

"Barry!" she scolds, "I can't believe you didn't tell me that you knew Wonder Woman! That woman is a literal goddess, I tell you." Barry doesn't have time to tell her how close her guess is, because Iris continues rapidly, "Anyways, this is a perfect opportunity for you to find a new romantic partner, don't you think?"

She waggles her eyebrows teasingly, but her face falls as Barry cringes.

"...What?"

Disinterest and even confusion ooze from his tone. Is she suggesting that he should use the fact that he’s the Flash as an advantage when dating?

"Come on, you're part of an elite superhero team dedicated to protecting our planet!" Iris beams, clasping her hands together eagerly. "There's literally no place better to find a new boyfriend or girlfriend, because everyone's _super_ hot."

Barry simply gives her an eyeroll and tries to hide his confusion because _that_ was not what he was expecting.

It does make sense, though. The whole scheme is so Iris. Ever since his breakup with childhood sweetheart Daphne Dean, his family and friends have been dying for him to find a new boyfriend or girlfriend, and apparently they think the Justice League is better than any dating app. Honestly, they're probably right - Tinder has been no help to Barry - not that he'd admit it.

"Have you even seen Superman? That man has muscles on his muscles! I mean, I thought Oliver Queen was hot, but damn." She shakes her head and brushes the thought of the Kryptonian away to continue with a more solemn attitude. "Seriously, Bar, just give it a try. You deserve happiness."

He sighs. "Okay, sure.” Barry hates to lie to Iris, but she must be crazy if she thinks he’s going to attempt to date his fellow heroes. It’d be humiliating, not to mention that they’re all incredibly out of his league. “No promises, though."

"No promises," Iris repeats. "But you do have to tell me how you feel about each member. You know I live for gossip. Now," her tone sharpens into something more serious, "Any insider info on the League that I can write about? My boss is practically waiting on me hand and foot, begging me to get some details from the Flash."

Barry's brown eyes blink innocently. "Sorry, Iris, you know the League put out an official statement when we first formed, and that has all the info we're letting out for now."

His phone buzzes, and as he checks the latest texts he's received, he freezes. "Shit, sorry, I gotta go. GL just texted me."

"Ooh, Green Lantern's hot. Are you two going on a date?"

"The whole League's going for beers. GL was only reminding me. He's, like, my closest friend in the League, actually," Barry corrects her warmly. It's a little weird that she's suggesting that his close friend is his boyfriend, or could be, but it's nothing out of the blue. Iris was convinced that Barry had a thing for Caitlin Snow until she found out otherwise.

"We met way before the League even formed, didn't I tell you? I was sure I told you how we met, it was little less than a year ago during a case involving missing children." He laughs a little as he recalls their meeting. “I had no clue who he was and I thought he was _Superman_.”

Iris shakes her head slowly, with a smirk painted onto her lips. "Excuses, excuses, Barry. You’ve been keeping your hot boys secret from me. I feel a little insulted, actually. Don't want me stealing them away from you?"

"He is not- I mean- you know what, whatever. Gotta go."

Iris nods and picks up her own phone once he's left. She texts Oliver, Cisco, and Dinah, who share Iris's hope that Barry will get with someone soon, preferably a fellow superhero. Iris figures she'd better include them in her discovery.

 **[my money’s on lantern]** Iris types without any explanation.

Oliver's reply is quick, and she receives it barely a minute later. [I know green lantern personally and he's too much of a jackass for Barry. I'm betting on wonder woman I guess]

[i can see Barry with Aquaman, i think Barry'd like that he cares for the environment] Dinah adds soon after.

[SUPERMAN] is Cisco's input. [idk it would just be cool if he were dating superman]

They're all valid guesses, Iris thinks, considering that they don't know that much about the Leaguers, but now she's rooting for Green Lantern.

"Barry, my boy!" Hal cheers enthusiastically. A grin is spread across his face as his friend approaches the dark table in the corner of the room where the League sits.

Barry's sure that it was picked out by Batman (wait, he's Bruce here, oops) because it's isolated and gloomy- right up Bruce's alley. It's likely that Diana also had a say in the Metropolis-based bar, because it's classy enough that it's not unusual to see them there. Even Clark could be seen there for some interview with an upper class member, but Barry and Hal, not so much.

The other members chime in with their own greetings.

"Late, as always, I see?" Diana comments fondly.

Barry shrugs sheepishly. "With superspeed, you lose track of time easily," he says quietly in lieu of an apology. It’s the truth. He gets confused sometimes - sometimes minutes feel like hours and hours feel like seconds.

"Others might mistake that as rude," Bruce points out sharply from his spot in the booth.

Barry cringes, but he doesn’t have time to apologize. Hal pulls him into the empty space next to him and Barry grants him a grateful smile in return. "Thanks," he whispers, and Hal slings his arm around Barry's shoulders as he nods.

"Don't pay attention to him, man. Bruce is an asshole." Hal announces loudly,  ever the opposite of his friend. He turns his attention to the rest of the League members seated at the booth. "I thought this was like, a chance to celebrate the League or whatever, not bitch. But I mean, I gotta give you credit, you're great at that and all, Bruce." He levels Bruce with a glare, and receives one back immediately.

"So...where's Arthur?" Barry asks lightly in an attempt to relieve tension. "I thought he was coming?"

"His wife, Mera, is pregnant," Clark says happily, speaking up for the first time since Barry's arrival. "He wanted to spend time with her. She insisted he come, but Arthur is stubborn."

They all nod their agreement.

"And Victor?" asks Diana.

"Vic is at STAR Labs, helping with some tech issue, I think." Barry answers. "My friends there said he promised to help them figure out some of Darkseid's tech."

Once again, there are nods and murmurs of agreement, but it doesn’t take much for their table to fall silent once again. Part of Barry longs for Bruce and Hal to start fighting, just for the noise.

The trip to the bar is nice but nothing like the ones he'd have with normal friends. Hal is a normal friend, but the others...not so much. They're just a bunch of starkly different superheroes trying to become buddies over beers, and it's a mystery how it'll turn out. A regular sitcom, really.

Things fall into place once a pretty young woman comes over to take their orders.

"Hey," she says brightly, "Are you all ready to order? Great." She whips out a pad and a pencil and looks up attentively, ready for someone to start speaking.

That someone is Hal.

"Hey," he replies with a wink. "I'm not really sure what to get, so what do you recommend?”

The waitress’s  face flushes as she purses her lips, considering the question. "To be honest, it's super, well, girly, but I love the Blue Hawaiian. Tastes just like a pina colada."

"I'll have that, then," is his response. Barry figures the whole 'I'm not sure what to get' thing was just a ruse as not to seem weird getting such a traditionally girly drink, because he knows for a fact that the only drinks Hal loves more than beer are fruity, girly cocktails. It's not that he's judging him, though - Barry's had a few sips of Hal's cocktails and they're honestly delicious.

The sparkle in the waitress’s eyes is gone as she notices Hal's arm slung around Barry's shoulder. She simply writes Hal’s order down and moves on without the usual request for his number that Hal is used to.

“Must suck, not having women throwing themselves at your feet for once,” Barry teases when Hal’s face falls. “Will you ever survive?”

Hal snorts. “Envy is a sin, Bartholomew.”

Everyone orders either a sort of cocktail or a beer, with the exception of Barry, who simply gets a tray of fries with some fancy shredded cheese or something on it that Diana insists is incredible.

Alcohol has no effect on Barry, but it certainly does on the rest of the League.

As expected, the alcohol makes everyone much more friendly, with the exception of Bruce. Even after what seems like a few too many drinks, he remains stoic and quiet, although he leaves early due to an 'emergency' involving what Barry assumes to be teenagers screaming to him over the phone. To Barry's surprise, Bruce's face softens as he speaks slowly and calmly to the sources of chaos on the phone. He suspects that the billionaire is a kinder person than he lets on.

"I didn't know Bruce had kids," he says to Hal once their ally has made his exit.

"Oh, yeah, it was all over the news at some point. They're all adopted except for like, one, and all the boys look exactly like him." Hal answers. "It used to be a big deal, Gotham's patron saint Bruce Wayne taking in wards from the street. Pretty sure Nightwing is his son, or at least, close enough to be, and so are Red Hood and Red Robin. That blonde Robin girl, too. The latest Robin is his actual son, though."

"What?"

"My dude, where did you think he was getting all his sidekicks from?" Hal laughs, slurring his s's in a way that would be endearing if his words were easier to understand. "I've been to enough parties at Wayne Manor with Carol to meet Bruce's wards. There's tons, but they're all pretty chill. I like the like, punk one, Jason. Anyways, I bet if you asked Bats about them, he'd tell you." He adopts a more serious look. "Y'know, he was such a douche to me at those parties, I'm surprised I didn't realize he was Batman."

Barry shrugs, holding in his laughter. "I bet it's not that obvious. I mean, he's got to have a pretty solid secret identity, since he's such a public figure in Gotham."

"You'd be surprised. I swear, Bar, you should've seen him-"

Before Barry can reply, he's interrupted by a beaming Clark Kent. He adjusts his glasses and says brightly, "You two are so comfortable around each other. I hope the whole League becomes as close as you two are,"

"Yes," Diana agrees with an elegant dip of her head as she joins the conversation. "But if you'll excuse me, it's getting late and I have a bit of work to do. Would you mind if I left?"

The remaining Leaguers shake their heads, and Diana pulls out her credit card from her purse.

"I could pay for all of us, if you're not going to order any more," she offers.

Hal's jaw drops.

The Kryptonian next to him smiles and shakes his head. "You're too kind, Diana, really," he says.

"Yeah, it's really fine," Barry protests. "I can pay for myself, and Hal, if I need to."

"Speak for yourselves. I don't mind, princess,"  Hal grins.

Diana raises an eyebrow, looking increasingly more like royalty by the minute. "I don't mean to offend you," she says sternly and slowly, as though she can't quite grasp the refusal of her offer, "but you work on a reporter's and a forensic scientist's salary, respectively. And, well, I'm not sure if Hal even has a job. I can afford your drinks and fries, really."

"...Fine," Barry mumbles.

If the bar weren't so expensive, there's no way he would've accepted her payment, but as a speedster, he needs to eat constantly. Money saved from this meal can go towards energy bars to stash in his Flash suit, or fast food dinners with Hal or Cisco. He's just being practical, really, or at least, that's what he tells himself.

"I'll pay you back," Clark assures the Amazonian warrior, although it's obvious he's reassuring himself. "Thanks so much, Diana."

"Thanks," Barry echoes.

Hal shoots her a compliment instead of a thank you. "Diana, you're amazing, you know that, right?"

She pays for their meals and leaves with a fond smile on her face, and the three remaining League members do so soon after. Clark vanishes with a quick wave and a "I'm so glad you guys came, let's do it again," and Hal and Barry are left alone together.

"Well, I guess I'd better go," says Barry. "See you soon?"

"Definitely,"

That's it.

No hug, no wave, just big grins and footsteps as they leave the bar.

Barry Allen definitely does not feel sad to leave Hal Jordan.

* * *

So, how was it?" Iris singsongs, swinging on the balls of her feet as Barry enters the West household. She's standing right in front of the couch, arms folded. Despite her light tone, it's obvious she means business. "Decide who's worth dating?"

He sighs, but there's no use in avoiding the topic. Barry's adoptive sister will pester him for days if he doesn't tell her. It's nice to know that they haven't changed too much since childhood, but it's also annoying in cases like these. 

_Really_ annoying.

So Barry plays along.

"Aquaman and Cyborg are out of the equation," Barry answers reluctantly.

That one is easy. Arthur is married to Mera, and Vic is fresh out of college. Plus, the guy has a girlfriend.

"Batman is too reserved. He's, like, weirdly mysterious and grumpy. I mean, I respect him and all, and I'm sure I'll like him more the more I work with him, but he kind of scares me. Superman is very nice and a very good person, but I'm just not attracted to him, I guess. I can't see myself dating him." 

Along with all those valid reasons, Barry thinks he read in a gossip magazine that there is something going on between Gotham elite Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne, although that's  _totally_ unrelated to the love life of Batman. 

Iris lets out a disappointed remark as Barry dismisses Superman. "How can you not be attracted to Superman?" she grumbles, "That man is so chiseled. I mean, have you even seen his face? I was kind of looking forward to possibly having Superman as my brother in law."

"If you like him so much, why don't _you_ marry him?" Barry says to Iris. 

She emits a loud  _pfft_ of laughter. "Moving on," 

"Wonder Woman is incredible, but she's like the mother of the group in a way. She's fond of all of us, but won't hesitate to kick our asses if we're being stupid." He continues. "Anyways, I doubt she would date me- you should've heard her when some reporter suggested that she and Superman were together. She couldn't stop laughing." 

"So that leaves Green Lantern, right?" Iris West is the picture of innocence as she pops the question. 

Her adoptive brother seems appalled as he remembers his teammate. His face reddens, and his eyes open wide. "Oh, um, yeah. But I mean, GL's just a friend, really, I can't see us being any more than that." He shifts into offensive mode, snapping at Iris as she offers him a catlike grin and a wink. "Anyways, Iris, the Justice League fights crime. It's not for dating."

He's telling the truth, really. He and Hal are nothing more than friends. Sure, they fight crime together, but that makes their friendship stronger. Although Barry could see himself dating Hal. He would _love_ to date Hal, but to Barry's knowledge, the Green Lantern is tragically heterosexual.

Well, maybe not. 

The man flirts with anything that moves, but Barry doesn't need to get his hopes up because of a mere mannerism. 

Barry's other point isn't  _ completely  _ valid, either, but Iris doesn't need to know that. The majority of the couples he knows got together through working together as heroes: think Oliver and Dinah, Kendra and Carter, and Arthur and Mera. Although, in his defense, the Justice League isn’t solely for dating and it’s purely professional, so take that, Iris.

"If you say so," she sighs. "You know, I'm not giving up on you. You're so lonely. All you ever do is go to work at the CCPD and then come home and then fight crime and then sleep. The order changes sometimes, but otherwise that's all you ever do."

"What? No," Barry says. "I have a life." 

And he does, really. Teasing GL and making snarky comments about Batman and saving people? That's his life. 

Of course, it would be nice to date someone for longer than a few months. His last girlfriend was Patty Spivot, his coworker, but that ended quickly, as Barry had no time for dating, and Patty was a little clingy. She was sweet, but not really his type. He hadn't dated a guy in a while, either. Maybe Iris was right. 

Barry was going to find a partner, and it was going to be easy. He didn't need the League for it, either.

Right?

Right.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i tried to update as soon as possible. enjoy!!

"My dude, I just heard of this great bar opening in Coast City, wanna come?" Hal asks over the phone. "I'm dying for a drink."

Normally Barry would say, _No, sorry, I have work, maybe some other time?_ but Iris's words ring in his head. He's going to prove to his sister that no, he's not lonely. In fact, he can probably find a new girlfriend or boyfriend at a bar, that's just how likeable and not lonely he is. Hal is just providing him with the perfect opportunity. And anyway, his shift ends in about a minute.

"Sure, I'll be there soon. Send me the address?" Barry replies. He adjusts his shoulder so that his phone is in a more secure position next to his ear as he uses his hands to carry an overflowing file folder back to the cabinet where it belongs.  "Thanks, _dude_."

"Don't you dare make fun of me and my Californian-ness, _Bartholomew_. At least I'm not the poster boy for Vineyard Vines."

Barry snickers.

"Oh, and by the way, it's like, super hot on this side of the country so don't go wearing long sleeves or something dumb."

Barry's lips form a smirk at the comment. He slams the file cabinet shut and leaves the Central City Police Department. "You know, it's summer here, too." He pauses, grins at his friend's last few words. "Oh, and don’t be dumb? So what you're saying is, don't be like you?" He retorts as he steps out into the sunny sidewalk and turns on his path to the West household.

" _Wow_ , I didn't realize we were in third grade. Just be there, okay?"

"Okay," Barry agrees, and hangs up.

For the average person, the request would be more easily said than done. Hal resides in Coast City, a bright beachside town in Southern California, whereas Barry lives halfway across the country in Missouri.

Barry Allen loves not being the average person.

And so he runs. On the open city streets, he jogs, keeping a humanly possible pace as he makes his way home. Once he reaches his room, he changes into something reminiscent of the outfits he's seen SoCal residents sporting: a crisp charcoal button up short sleeve shirt and some khaki shorts. It's a preppy sort of look, but he rocks sweaters and button ups all the time, so Barry's sure it's not that much of a change.

God, Hal is right - he's so vanilla. 

Now that he's ready, it's back to running. Barry stuffs a granola bar into his mouth, chews and swallows, and leaves Central City's humidity behind in favor of Coast City's hellish heat.

He breaks into a sprint, nothing but a blur as he runs past people walking, biking, and driving; he watches as they sing and dance and cry and smile. Cows moo at him as he races past farms, dogs bark, and cats hiss and purr. Running makes him feel incredible, alive, but there's nothing better than witnessing all walks of life and the raw emotion that they wear on their sleeves. They may not have superspeed or fight crime, but they're all just like him. Even when he feels isolated from humanity, with his metabolism and quick healing, it's nice to know that once you get past trivial, physical things such as those, they're all human. Except for the animals. 

Barry passes a delightfully old fashioned sign reading _Welcome to Coast City: home of Ferris Airlines_ and beams. He's almost at the bar, which, according to Hal, is a block or so away from the center of downtown Coast City. He slows himself into a walk, grinning as he spots a person that must Hal standing on the sidewalk ahead of him.

After all, who else would look so good in a pair of skinny jeans, a loose black tank top, and Ray Bans sunglasses? (He's surprised that Hal isn't in his flight jacket or something stupid, like a shirt with a weed leaf on it, but how can he question Hal's style when he looks so damn good in everything?)

Not that Barry is _attracted_ to Hal. He can think his friend looks good without actually liking him, right? (He knows deep down that the answer is no but ignorance is bliss.)

"Hal!"

His suspicions are confirmed as the man turns around and waves back wildly.

"Barry! You've got to come see this!" he yells back.

As it turns out, the bar is closed.

"So apparently, it's not a 'new bar'," Hal says, using his fingers as quotation marks. "It's newly closed. This sucks."

"Yeah," Barry agrees, "Please tell me I don't have to go all the way back to Central. I just got here."

Hal runs his fingers through his purposefully messy hair. His lips spread across his face as he says, "Don't you worry, Barry. I have something fun for us to do."

For a second, Barry almost thinks he means sex. How can he not, when Hal's expression is nothing but devious? The face his friend is making isn't unusual, but Barry still finds his face reddening as Hal winks before heading off in the opposite direction. His mind is definitely playing tricks on him. 

"What is it?" He calls as he runs after his friend. "Hal, for the last time, I have no interest in surfing whatsoever. Last time we tried, I ended up face first in the sand."

"Aw, don't give up so easily," Hal whines, his lips set in an attempt at a pout that's more reminiscent of a duck face, or possibly Blue Steel. "But don't worry. I had more of an X-Files marathon in mind."

That sounds about a billion times better than surfing. Hal may be great at the sport, and look fantastic doing so, but Barry gets submerged in saltwater every time he attempts to surf. An X-Files marathon involves sitting on a couch, eating excessive amounts of junk food, and beer, which is right up Barry's alley. His social life consists of running and Netflix, so what Hal has planned fits the bill pretty well.

"I'm sold," says Barry. "I'll go get snacks."

"I'll come with. Oh, and we don't have to worry about beer. I've got plenty."

"Why am I not surprised," hums Barry, half to himself. His nose crinkles as he turns to face Hal. "Let's go, you weirdo." he says, although he means it lovingly.

Blue Steel returns on Hal's face. "Weirdo? They don't pick just anyone to be Green Lantern," he points out, feigning offense. "But, like, the Guardians picked Guy, so I guess they have no trouble choosing weirdos."  

Barry exhales, long and loud. "Well, you're not wrong, but you're definitely over thinking the whole 'weirdo' thing. Would you rather I called you asshole or something?"

"I go by sexy, too," Hal flirts, to Barry's despair. It's like the universe wants to tease him. Seriously, why do his best friends always have to be so goddamn attractive?

"Whatever." he groans and he turns away as his face turns pink. "You think the Safeway is good?"

The grocery store is nicer than most he's seen tucked into any cramped city, so it seems like a good choice. It's squeezed in on the end of the block, barely fitting next to a Starbucks with identical chestnut colored panelling, and Hal has to resist the urge to ditch Barry for the Starbucks as they make their way into the store.

Racing to the candy aisle begins their quest for the perfect assortment of marathon snacks.

"Look!" Hal exclaims brightly, holding up a vibrant plastic bag in a hue that can only be described as neon with one hand and gesturing to it with the other. "They're alien gummies! Perfect!"

Normally, Barry would roll his eyes and make a point of demonstrating what a rip-off it is, because _seriously Hal, can't you see that only two thirds of the bag is full_? He doesn't have it in him, though. He just smiles and nods with an air that he hopes comes off as mutually excited, praying that Hal doesn't notice the way he's gazing at him.

Instead of _yes_ , the only word he can think of is mistake, because obviously it was a mistake to come here. Coast City must have replaced Paris as the city of love, because goddammit, it's all so obvious now - Barry has a crush on his best friend. 

They move down the aisle, Hal completely oblivious to Barry’s inner conflict. Given the intensity with which Hal searches for candies and chips, one would think the apocalypse was impending upon them. He sorts through bags quickly, as if he can determine the best quality brands with a fleeting look. Hal whips around to face Barry, holding up two more bags.

"Dude, Twizzlers or Red Vines?"

Hal's quizzical expression is almost desperate, as if it is in fact the end of the world and only the licorice brand of the utmost quality can save them from doom. 

"Twizzlers," Barry replies quickly once he notices that he's obviously kept the pilot waiting for the answer for the question that will no doubt save them from the apocalypse. Cisco must be the only one in the world who prefers Red Vines - Twizzlers have some class.

A bright grin spreads across Hal's face as he continues, the same breathtaking grin that he wore that one time that an old lady basically tried to ask Barry out after he helped her cross the street, the same grin he wore after they defeated Darkseid once and for all and then went to go grab pizza from a dingy old place where someone tried to rob them (ha, obviously not a good plan), the same grin he wore when he learned how to braid and triumphantly went and braided Barry's hair even though it ended up looking as stupid as hell.

For a moment, Barry shakes his head. What's he supposed to do now? He feels like he's back in middle school. He hasn't actually  _crushed_ on someone in a long, long time. 

At least there’s no need to tell him how he feels.

He can't just walk up to Hal Jordan, the breakup king, who dates Carol Ferris on and off and has probably had too many one night stands to count, and be like, 'Hey, man, we've been friends for what, a year now? Well, you thought wrong! I have a crush on you." Hal is unpredictable. Barry has no idea what the outcome could be. So yeah, obviously there’s no reason why he needs to tell Hal at all.

“You ready to go?” Barry asks. He needs to get out, and preferably away from Hal, except that ditching the marathon would break Hal’s heart. “I’ll pay.”

* * *

He doesn't hear from Hal - or any of the Leaguers, for that matter - in person until the following week, when the next Justice League meeting takes place. It's scheduled in Batman's very own Batcave, which Barry can't wait to see. 

Shockingly, he's punctual for once, and he’s greeted by an old man, Bruce’s butler, no doubt, after he rings the doorbell.

“Master Bruce is expecting you,” the butler says with a wry smile. “Down the hall, to the left, in the main study. The cave is behind the grandfather clock.” He pauses and scans Barry’s face for any signs of confusion. “Should I escort you, sir?”

The formality is awkward, and Barry shakes his head. “No, thank you. And, uh, it’s Barry.”

He walks off, following the butler’s instructions until he reaches a large room that must be the main study. Just as expected, there’s an antique grandfather clock that marks the entrance to the Batcave. He slides it to the side and steps into the dimmed lighting that brightens the murky hideaway.

A long table has been set in the middle of the Batcave, away from Bruce’s multiple computer screens and far from the Batmobile and other large items.

Barry sits himself next to Arthur at one side of the table, making sure that he’s not too close to Bruce, who’s positioned at the head of the table. So far, he, Bruce, Diana, and Arthur are the only ones in attendance, although all of the Leaguers have guaranteed that they will be coming.

“So, how are you all?” Barry questions, trying to break the icy silence. “It’s been awhile since our last League meeting.”

“Fine, thank you,” is Diana’s warm answer. “Last week I officiated a marriage, and I also dropped by England to have tea with the Queen. She’s a lovely woman.”

Arthur chimes in, “That’s wonderful, Diana. I’ve done nothing quite as exciting, I’ve simply spent my time negotiating in Atlantis, and also taking care of my wife.”

“What about you, Bruce?” Barry asks. He hopes that Bruce will have a more, well, _normal_ answer, because right now he’s starting to feel a little awkward around his successful colleagues.

Bruce shrugs. “Charity balls, running Wayne Industries, the works.”

Even the daily things Bruce does are impressive, and he doesn’t even have _superpowers_. Barry can’t help but feel bitter.

“Cool!” Barry chirps, preparing himself for the inevitable - the moment when his fellow heroes turn to him and ask about how he’s been.

As expected, Diana smiles and asks, “And you, Barry?”

“Uh, I’ve just been working at the CCPD, as usual,” he answers slowly, although his mind is racing as he tries to think of something interesting. “There hasn’t been much crime in Central City recently, so I haven’t been that busy.”

He’s cut short by the light screech of old wood against the metal door frame of the Batcave as the grandfather clock that masks the cave’s entrance is slid to the side by Clark, who’s aided by Victor.

“I’m sorry I’m late, the journalist I’m working with needed me to clarify a few things on my latest article and it took much longer than expected,” Clark looks flustered as he runs his fingers through his hair in an attempt to calm the currently untamed curls. Barry knows what Hal would say if he were here - _a journalist needed me_ my ass _, that’s totally sex hair_.

“Sorry,” Vic agrees with a faint smile. “I ran into Nightwing on my way here and we kind of lost track of time.” He surveys the room with his non-robotic eye. “Hey, where’s Hal?”

“Who knows,” says Arthur, rolling his eyes. “Barry, do _you_ know where the Lantern is?” His question is pointed, as if it’s _Barry’s_ fault that Hal hasn’t shown up yet.

"No,” Barry says calmly. "It's not my job to." 

“Guys, hold up.” Victor says, the voice of reason as he sits down next to Diana. “You’re overcomplicating things. Can’t someone just text him?”

“Should we? Hal has already been late to multiple meetings; it’s no one’s fault but his own.” Bruce points out.

Barry sighs and buries his head in his arms as the voices around him get louder and more indignant as his friends argue whether or not they should even call Hal. This is stupid and childish, and it feels as if the League is falling apart after two months of officiality.

“What the fuck is going on in here?”

The question sounds almost comedic amongst all the bickering, as if they’re on a sitcom and the question can only be delivered with cheesy emphasis. Barry half expects to hear a laugh track.

Barry looks up just in time to see Hal Jordan leaning against the doorway to the Batcave, his arms crossed and eyebrows raised like he’s the bad boy leaning against lockers in a chick flick. 

“Look who finally decided to show up,” Bruce grumbles. _The Dark Knight sure can be petty_ , Barry thinks.

“I know you missed me, but you don’t have to let your despair out by fighting with each other,” Hal says, oozing with that flair that Barry loves. “Nice sex hair, Supes,” Hal congratulates the Kryptonian as he passes by him, and Barry can’t help but grin as Clark’s face reddens. Hal slides into the seat next to Barry. 

“Now we can finally commence our meeting. As all of you may have noticed, there have been large decreases in crime levels throughout our respective home cities, and I suspect that just as we have formed our Justice League, our enemies may be creating their own league of villainy.”

“Alrighty then, Bats, where’s your proof?”

Bruce whips out a stack of stapled papers, the crime reports for every major city in America put together for each league member. "How's that for proof?" he asks, a smug smile painted on his lips. 

"Shit, Lantern just got  _owned_!" Someone cries out. 

"Shh, Drake, they'll hear you!" Another says through laughter, this voice female. 

Bruce stands up abruptly, his eyes narrowed as he scans the room. "Stephanie, Dick-- _Tim_ , not Dick, come here now, please." he announces, "I asked you two notto come down here. You know you're too young for the League." 

There's a collections of long, melodramatic teenage sighs, and then slowly two figures rise from the Batmobile and walk over to the table. One of the two people is a blonde girl in a purple tank top, and the other is a boy with a mess of black hair almost reminiscent of a mullet.

"Too young?" Stephanie asks, her hands firmly planted on her hips. The look on her face is one of disbelief as she continues speaking. "Bruce, you guys fight like Tim and Damian do, and you're not even teenagers." 

"Damian?" Barry whispers, leaning over to Hal for explanations. He has absolutely no clue who these kids are - he makes a mental note to pay more attention to the teen superheroes of Gotham. 

"Bruce's son," answers Hal. "Stephanie was a Robin but now she's a Batgirl, and Tim is Red Robin. I respect that he's named after a resteraunt, it's relatable." 

While they're discussing Batman's sidekicks, Stephanie and Bruce are reasoning with another. 

"...You may stay for the rest of the meeting, but take notes." Bruce says finally, crisply. "I hope you two learn something from this experience."

"We will," Tim chirps eagerly. "Thanks, Bruce." 

The older man offers them a conspiratorial smile. "Oh, and one last thing? Don't tell Damian about this." 

The two teenagers grin in return, absolutely glowing with excitement. "No way. Wouldn't want the Bat Brat throwing a fit," Stephanie laughs. There aren't any open seats, so they grudgingly elect to kneel on the floor next to Hal. 

"As you were saying, Bruce?" Arthur asks. "Where did we leave off?" 

" _As I was saying_ ," Bruce repeats, "Crime rates have dropped significantly, and while the League has been making great progress, I don't think that the decrease is thanks to us. I suspect that major criminals such as the Joker, Lex Luthor, Cheetah, and so on, may be creating a group of their own. It would make sense, because -"

"They would trick everyone into a false sense of security before striking," Tim finishes. Everyone turns to look at him, impressed, and he falters under their gazes. "Oh, sorry." 

"My thoughts exactly," Bruce agrees. There's something new in his voice: pride. "Anyone else?" 

The research is understandable, and Barry sees where his ally is coming from, but he's not quite on the same page. He clears his throat a little before bringing up his point of view. Somehow, he still gets a timid when addressing his fellow superheroes - it's something about their fame and importance that makes him insignificant, despite being a superhero himself. 

"I get where you're coming from, Bruce, and you too, Tim." He begins, turning to face the dynamic duo. So far, so good. "But isn't it a little...I don't know, glass half empty? Like you've said, we've been decreasing crime levels ourselves. Aren't you kind of jumping to conclusions?" 

Clark nods his head in eager agreement, although Arthur remains visibly wary, seeming to side more with the Dark Knight. Diana and Victor are silent, considering both sides. 

Hal, on the other hand, nudges his friend with his elbow encouragingly. "Nice job. Stick it to the man." 

"I wasn't trying to do that and you know it," Barry whispers, a smile on his face. "Bruce and I just don't always see eye to eye." 

"So  _now_ you admit it!" crows Hal. He pumps his fist in the air, triumphant. "So even the nicest person I know can't get along with him easily. Bruce really is unbearable." 

Barry ignores the jabs at Bruce and instead changes the topic to something lighter. "Do my ears decieve me, or was that a compliment, Harold?" he teases, a hand placed against his chest in mock disbelief. 

"I believe it was, Bartholomew," quips Hal.

His eyes flicker down at Stephanie and Tim, who are still sitting on the floor, eyes wide with interest, and then turns back up to look at his friend. His face is turning pinker by the minute, and he knows the teenagers are eyeing him with delight. 

"You two would make  _such_ a cute couple," Stephanie remarks casually, although her smirk suggests that she's nothing less than devious. "Don't cha think, Tim?" 

Her friend - or is it boyfriend, Barry can't tell - takes the bait, grinning all the while. "Why I believe they would," 

That's it. Barry doesn't even look in Hal's direction. He's too busy staring Bruce down in an attempt at a distress signal.  

"Well," Diana says, "I believe that's the end of the meeting. Bruce and I will look into the villainy issue, and otherwise we'll carry on as usual." 

"Sounds good," Victor agrees. "See you guys next meeting." 

Barry stands up, ready to leave with Hal by his side. For a moment, it seems like they're going to carry on as usual - after all, the teenagers have vanished, so there's no more hinting - but Hal begins speaking. 

"So, imagine us dating, right?" he says. "Wonder where they got that idea from." 

"Yeah," Barry echoes. "Weird." 

Hal, never one to _not_ share his opinion, continues. "Although, I mean, I see where they're coming from." 

"Really?" Barry's voice gets slightly higher, hopeful, as he waits for Hal to continue.  _Yesyesyes_ , he thinks.  _Yesyesyes!_

"Well, yeah. We're both attractive, and we get along really well, so I wouldn't be surprised if people thought we were dating. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if we starteddating at some point." 

That'sdefinitely surprising. Barry half expects his heart to jump out of his chest. 

"Really?" he repeats, at a loss for words. 

Hal turns to look at him, a small smile spread across his lips. "If I weren't dating Carol, yeah." 

So _that's_ the catch. 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> talk to me on tumblr @olliedinahs
> 
> (you can request fics if you want! what should i write other than my beloved halbarry?)


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